Labour Court upholds dismissal of HSE wage complaint over alleged €6,000 annual loss

The Labour Court upheld the dismissal of Cillian O’Sullivan’s wage complaint against HSE University Hospital Group Limerick, finding it was brought outside the legal time limit. The decision was dated 11 March 2024. O’Sullivan said a change from a Community Welfare Officer role to a Clerical Officer role cut his pay by about €6,000 a year. O’Sullivan said he spent more than 10 years pursuing the issue through the HSE grievance process. The HSE argued that his first contract ended with a project, that he accepted a Clerical Officer post on a different pay scale, and that the claim was late. The Court considered the six months before he lodged his complaint and found no specific wage deduction in that period had been identified or supported by evidence. The merits were not decided.